Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-07-16
LESSON OF TRUSTS.
constructive SOCIALISM
FOR AMERICANS.
Preparing the Way for Socialism
Race Between Destructive and
Constructive Tendencies.
Capitalists (ontrihu.
tion 10 Socialism.

Tins last week, IN speaking to
Americans Of Socialism, have had
my attention called to II phcnomc-
non, essentially American, one that
had not attracted public notice when
| went to Europe two years ago, and
one Of the greatest practical interest
to me, and, AZ it seems to me, to all
Socialists. | mean the 50 called
"YrHaS.' | am told that some
American papers Of late have dis
cussed this trust II good deal, and
pretended particularly TO see in it
great danger to the State.
BY "trust" is meant q cOncontra-
ton Of interests by various corpora
tions, or by the executive officers Of
such corporations, without the con-
troll of the Sta'e. A coal com
pany is organized under the laws and
control of the State. to which it is
bound periodically to render an nc
count of its domgs. Now suppose
the seven presidents of seven such
coal companies come together and
agree to join their interests; they
have sufficient trust" (hcnce the
name) in one Of their number to Sc
lect him as autocrat to determine
how much coal each shall mine, and
what part Of the profits each is to
| have; that is TO say, they merge their
individualities, granted them by the
State into secret body Of which the
State knows nothing. 1t is different
from spool" from which the par
ticipants can withdraw at pleasure,
and, of course, different from ''trust
companies" which are legalized IN
stitutions.
The best known Crust is the
formidable Standard Oil Company,
which is u concentration Of u very
great number Of small legal compa-
mes. But the rubber industries Of
the country formed, it is said, such
a "trust' II short time ago in this
city, and the pork packing compa,
nics are going to do the same, and
likewise the cattle ranches out west.
That such concentration OF indus
tries is of the very highest import
ance is evident, but instead Of seeing
any danger therein to the State, ], as
"a Socialist, rather rejoice over it, as
it will make il 50 much the easier
for the collective will TO assume con
troll of the industries when the time
comes for it. .-
But this is not th" point wish to
make. | look upon this "Irust" rs
an excellent objoct-lcsson to use Ia
Americans; AS openlnga new method,
in fact, Of teaching Socialism.
OF course, SoclaIihm, being in es-
scnce II certain philosophy Of society,
certain new way Of looking ut hut
man affairs, is the same IN America,
in England as in Germany or France.
But the way Of getting an insight
into this philosophical assimilaliR5
this philosophy need not be the same,
is indeed sure Of being different, as
the various nationalitics have admit.
tcdly different mental charactcris
ties The Germans have the critlca
faculty highly developed; it is there
fore very natural, since modern So
ciaIlsm Is almost synonymous witt
German Socialism, almost entirely o.
, German origin, that Socialism hith
erto should have been taught almos
exclusively from a critical point o
view. The wage system and compe
tition have been sub jccted 10 Il mos
, scientific and unanswerable criticism
and it has been concluslvely pointed
, out, that the natural development
} will lead toa catastrophe and a crash
But this is a kind OF argumen
: that does not affect an AnglO-Saxol
- in the same manner as it does Ger
. man. The former wants to know
what We propose to put in place o
, this wage-system and competition
and more than that: he wants Z